LOGO
EN

Sense of meaning in life as a factor protecting middle school adolescents from perpetrating and experiencing peer violence

Dorota Zawadzka1,2, Magdalena Korzycka2, Anna Oblacińska2

Affiliacja i adres do korespondencji
Psychiatr Psychol Klin 2018, 18 (4), p. 340–353
DOI: 10.15557/PiPK.2018.0042
PlumX metrics:
Streszczenie

Background and aims: Searching for the meaning of life is the basic motivation in human life, and lacking a sense of meaningfulness can lead to a range of disorders such as assuming the roles of victim and perpetrator of peer violence. Methods: This questionnaire-based study involved a total of 4,085 pupils (52% girls) from 70 middle schools located in all Polish voivodeships. The study used an abbreviated univariate version of the Purpose in Life Test scale, while two questions about peer violence were derived from the Polish version of the research protocol employed in the international study Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC). Both univariate and multivariate analyses – including logistic regression – were performed. Results: Out of 4,085 middle school pupils 26.8% were perpetrators and 29.8% were victims of peer violence at least once during the preceding 2 months. Boys were found to be both perpetrators and victims significantly more frequently than girls. Grade 3 pupils experienced violence from their peers significantly less frequently than grade 1 and grade 2 pupils. Regression analysis showed a significantly lower probability of being a victim or perpetrator of peer violence (at least 1–2 times during the 2 months preceding the questionnaire) in adolescents with a high sense of meaning in life. It was also found that girls were significantly less likely than boys to take on the roles of victims or perpetrators. The risk of being a victim of violence is also significantly decreased in middle school grade 3 pupils compared to grade 1 pupils. Conclusions: The potential practical implications of the analyses include the implementation of programmes aimed at highlighting universal and non-material values on which young people could rely. Based on the results of the study, it can be claimed that a high level of meaning in life is a factor protecting middle school adolescents from taking on the roles of both the victim and perpetrator of peer violence.

Słowa kluczowe
sense of meaning in life, peer violence, middle school adolescents